German election winner Friedrich Merz said Monday he would make sure Benjamin Netanyahu can visit Germany despite an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for the Israeli prime minister.
Merz, who is expected to become Germany's chancellor after his conservative CDU/CSU bloc came first in an election on Sunday, told a press conference he had spoken with Netanyahu.
"I told him that we should see each other soon after the government is formed," Merz said.
"In the event that he plans to visit Germany, I have committed myself to find a way to ensure that he can visit Germany and leave again without being arrested."
Netanyahu's office said he had congratulated Merz and that the German election winner had invited the Israeli premier to visit.
"Merz thanked the prime minister for his call and said he would invite him for an official visit to Germany, openly defying the ICC's scandalous decision to label the prime minister as a war criminal."
The ICC issued arrest warrants in November for Netanyahu, former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas's slain military chief Mohammed Deif.
The court is investigating Israel's conduct in its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, launched after the Palestinian militant group's deadly October 7, 2023, attacks.
The ICC said it had "reasonable grounds" to believe Netanyahu and Gallant bore "criminal responsibility" for the war crime of starvation in Gaza, as well as the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and other inhumane acts.
Netanyahu has dismissed the move as anti-Semitic.
Merz said it was a "completely absurd idea" that an Israeli prime minister could not visit Germany.
The Berlin government had previously said it was "examining" the ICC warrant and that it was bound by the court.
But German officials carefully avoided saying whether they would act on the warrant, referring to Germany's "great responsibility towards Israel" as a consequence of the Holocaust.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on the ICC, accusing it of "abusing its power" in issuing the warrant against Netanyahu.
Merz still needs to find a partner to form a coalition before he becomes chancellor, which could be a lengthy process.
